South Africa: ‘Zuma is not a dictator…’

South African President Jacob Zuma attends a joint media briefing at the end of the plenary session of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi March 29, 2012. The BRICS group of emerging market nations voiced concern about the slow pace of reforms within the IMF in a draft summit declaration that also called for a transparent process to select the next World Bank president.

The Gauteng ANC Youth League criticised deputy chairperson Simon Molefe on Thursday after he suggested that President Jacob Zuma should be supported for a second term.

“Whilst we acknowledge that individuals in the organisation are entitled to express their personal views, we wish to state up-front that the position… is not the collective view of the ANCYL Gauteng,” it said in a statement.

The New Age reported on Tuesday that Molefe had urged the provincial African National Congress Youth League structures to condemn its national leadership for backing Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to lead the ANC.

“Most of the PEC [provincial executive committee] members have their own view about the [elective] conference, and there are up to seven of them who support Zuma,” he told the newspaper.

“Zuma is not a dictator and the ANC will be stable and disciplined if he wins.”

The Gauteng ANCYL said it noted the pronouncement by the ANCYL national executive committee to support Motlanthe.

“We are yet to consolidate our views and will engage the relevant structures to advance our views.”

It said members needed to raise their concerns about leadership preferences within the organisation.

“Any deviation from these norms, especially un-mandated public pronouncements, shall not be tolerated. As such, internal disciplinary processes shall be invoked.”Sapa